Toms River hosts annual Black History Month celebration

The Toms River NAACP and Friends of the Toms River Library sponsored Black History Month celebration Saturday Feb. 16 in Mancini Hall.

More than 70 people enjoyed a delicious soul food buffet prepared and served by the NAACP members.

South Toms River Mayor Joseph M. Champagne Jr. delivered a biography of the martyred Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers, and told how Evers faced the threats against him and his family. He presented the humanity of Evers, the fears he felt, and his commitment to his beliefs in the freedoms of people.

The library friends sponsored the performance by Norman Taylor, an acoustic Blues guitarist who was New Jersey’s representative to the 2011 and 2012 International Blues Challenge. Taylor not only played music that spanned the history of the Blues, he spoke about the unassuming giants who nurtured the nascent form and their effects upon today’s music.

 

Little Egg Harbor branch celebrates Black History Month with African dance troup

On Saturday, February 18th Jana Burton of the Umoja Dance Company from Montclair, New Jersey hosted an interactive Dance Workshop in celebration of Black History Month at the Little Egg Harbor Branch.

The children learned an African dance for fishing as well as some facts about the types of drums used during the workshop. Everyone had a great time learning and performing the African dance

Jon Turk to perform sounds of Motor City at the Manchester Branch

CONTACT: Maria Colon, 732.657.7600 Ext. 4524
mcolon@theoceancountylibrary.org

MANCHESTER BRANCH LIBRARY TO HOST
MOTOWN SOUNDS WITH JON TURK

MANCHESTER, NJ – On Tuesday, February 28 at the Manchester Branch Library, starting at 2:00 pm, vocalist Jon Turk will perform hits commemorating Black History Month and 50 years of classic music from the Motor City!

This free concert is open to all ages. There is no registration.

The Manchester Branch of the Ocean County Library is located at 21 Colonial Drive in Manchester Township. For more information call 732.657.7600.

Slave to spy: Mary Bowser, an American patriot

Mary Elizabeth Bowser, born a slave in Virginia about 1839 and emancipated in 1843, served the Union during the American Civil War as a spy in the Confederate White House.

The Ocean County Library will host a program recognizing her patriotic mettle during four programs in February.

Dancer, poet and performance artist Lorraine Stone will bring Bowser’s story to life and reintroduce this hero to county residents.

Though a free woman, Bowser chose to remain a servant in the Van Lew household, fiercely loyal to the family matriarch, abolitionist and Quaker Elizabeth Van Lew. Miss Van Lew, recognizing Bowser’s educational abilities, sent her to the Quaker School for Negroes in Philadelphia in the late 1850s.

Returning from Philadelphia just before the Civil War began, Bowser was recruited as a spy by Van Lew and found herself working in Confederate President Jefferson Davis’s household as a domestic servant. From there she was able to obtain sensitive information and passed that along to Van Lew.

That information immediately went to Generals Benjamin Butler and Ulysses S. Grant.

Bowser was honored for her work in the Civil War with an induction into the Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame in Fort Huachuca, Az. in 1995.

 Lorraine Stone, dressed in clothing patterned from the era, will present Bowser’s story at three library locations:

Upper Shores branch, 112 Jersey City Av., Lavallette Wed. Feb. 1 @ 4 p.m.

Little Egg Harbor branch, 290 Mathistown Road, Thur. Feb. 9 @ 7 p.m.

Lakewood branch, 301 Lexington Av., Mon. Feb. 13 @ 6:30 p.m.

Barnegat branch, 112 Burr St., Thur. Feb. 16 @ 7 p.m.

A similar program will be sponsored by the NAACP. Kati Beddow’s “Eyes of Spies: Women of the Civil War,” will be held in the Toms River branch, 101 Washington St., Sat. Feb. 25 @ 2 p.m. The program will also include a soul-food tasting prepared by NAACP members in honor of Black History Month.

All these programs are offered free and open to the public but registration is required. For more information or to register for any of these programs telephone the operator at (732) 349-6200 or (609) 971-0514, or visit the library Web site http://www.theoceancountylibrary.org .

Please be aware that some programs may have waiting lists or may be at capacity at the time of your call. Register early.

Manchester branch announces four press releases

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Donna Risner, 732.657.7600
drisner@theoceancountylibrary.org

MANCHESTER BRANCH LIBRARY TO CELEBRATE
BLACK HISTORY MONTH

MANCHESTER, NJ – On Wednesday, February 1 at 11:30 am the Manchester Branch Library will host a performance in celebration of Black History Month. Students from the OCVTS Performing Arts Academy will honor the artistic contributions of African Americans through a program of acting, dance and music. Their presentation will include spiritual songs, poetry-inspired dances, and skits using puppetry. Light refreshments will be available.

This event is open to all ages, free of charge. Please go online to http://www.theoceancountylibrary.org or call 732.657.7600 to register.

The Manchester Branch of the Ocean County Library is located at 21 Colonial Drive in Manchester Twp.

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Joanne Lefand, (732) 657-7600 ext. 4522
jlefand@theoceancountylibrary.org

MANCHESTER BRANCH LIBRARY TO SHOW
“THE HELP”

MANCHESTER – The Manchester Branch Library will present an encore screening of the film, “The Help” on Wednesday, February 1, at 2:00 p.m. and again at 6:00 pm. See this popular drama on a large screen without paying the admission fee of a movie theater!

Set in Jackson, Mississippi during the 1960s, Eugenia Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone) is a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer. She decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid’s point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis during the civil rights movement.

This PG13-rated movie is part of the library’s Feature Film Series. It is 137 minutes long. Although registration is not required, early arrival is recommended.

The Manchester Branch of the Ocean County Library is located at 21 Colonial Drive in Manchester Township. Call 732-657-7600 for more information or go online to theoceancountylibrary.org.

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Jolene Smith, 732.657.7600
jsmith@theoceancountylibrary.org

MANCHESTER BRANCH LIBRARY TO OFFER
SEMINAR ON HEART HEALTHY COOKING AND NUTRITION

MANCHESTER, NJ – At the Manchester Branch Library on Thursday, February 2 at 2:00 pm, Jennifer Klein, a registered dietician employed by ShopRite, will tell you how to eat to keep your heart healthy. Her presentation will include a cooking demonstration with food samples for participants to try.

This program is part of the library’s “Chapters of Health” series. It is open to the adult public, free of charge. Please register online at http://www.theoceancountylibrary.org or call 732.657.7600.

The Manchester Branch of the Ocean County Library is located at 21 Colonial Drive in Manchester Twp.

PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Joanne Lefand, (732) 657-7600 ext. 4522
jlefand@theoceancountylibrary.org

MANCHESTER BRANCH LIBRARY TO SHOW
“SARAH’S KEY”

MANCHESTER – The Manchester Branch Library will screen the film, “Sarah’s Key” on Wednesday, February 8, at 2:00 p.m. and again at 6:00 pm. See this popular drama on a large screen without paying the admission fee of a movie theater!

In modern day Paris, a journalist (Kristin Scott Thomas) is assigned to write about the roundup of over 10,000 Jews and their placement in camps by French officials in 1942. When she moves into her father-in-law’s childhood apartment, she realizes it once belonged to the Strazynski family who were torn apart during this dark moment in French history. She finds herself becoming entwined with the life of Strazynski’s young daughter, Sarah (Mélusine Mayance).

This PG13-rated movie is part of the library’s Feature Film Series and is 111 minutes long. Although registration is not required, early arrival is recommended.

The Manchester Branch of the Ocean County Library is located at 21 Colonial Drive in Manchester Township. Call 732-657-7600 for more information or go online to theoceancountylibrary.org.

African American family research and reunions

Ocean County Library’s Toms River branch, 101 Washington St., will present a panel discussion that explores “African American Family Reunions and Family History” Wednesday Jan. 25 at 1 p.m.

The program will help people appreciate the similarities and differences between African American family and other family reunions, as well as the traditions and legacies of those reunions.

Genealogists will learn about the roadblocks and challenges faced when doing African American genealogy as well as discover resources available for their search.

Panelists include:

Ione Vargus, Professor Emerita and Dean at Temple University’s School of Social Administration and founder of the Family Reunion Institute at Temple.  She has appeared on radio and television and has written “Finding the Rest of Me: African American Family Reunions” and “More Than a Picnic: African American Family Reunions.”

Grace Johnson is the Assistant Director for the Office of Multicultural Services at Ocean County College and executive board member of the NAACP in Lakewood.

Librarian Jeannie Collacott will discuss her family genealogy research that includes her family’s West Indian roots.

Senior Librarian Dawn Heyson will discuss using Ocean County Library materials while performing African American genealogy research.

Sheila Linton, a member of the Bullock family and past presenter at the African American Family Reunion Conference at Temple University will discuss her family history and reunions. The National Bullock Family has held annual family reunions for the past 3 years.  It is comprised of five regional branches and operates under the auspices of a national board of directors.

Light refreshments will be provided at the program.

The program is presented by Ocean County Library’s “Good for the Soul Focus Team.”  It is free and open to the public.  Registration is required.

For more information or to register go to the library’s Web site www.theoceancountylibrary.org or telephone the operator (732) 349-6200 or (609) 971-0514.

LEH staff visit Frog Pond Elementary School

Maggie Penk and Donna Majchrzak visited the Frog Pond Elementary School to celebrate Black History month on Friday, February 4th.

Maggie Penk read Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman and Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold.

Donna Majchrzak told the African Folktale Story in String “The Mosquito.” Donna also shared books by an African American author Donald Crews.

Other stories included When will Sarah come? by Nina Crews & Peter’s Chair by Ezra Jack Keats.

Ocean County Library cards were also distributed to students.

Donna Majchrzak tells the African Folktale Story in String “The Mosquito.”

                                                                                         Maggie Penk reads to Kindergarteners